Gukesh Dommaraju gives up strong position in middle game with inaccurate moves in eighth match of world championship in Singapore. Defending world chess champion Ding Liren and teenage challenger Gukesh Dommaraju played to a fifth consecutive draw with neither player taking the lead after eight games. Both players were deadlocked at four points each in the first World Championship encounter between two Asian players as the 14-match tournament...

The Syrian government said its counteroffensive has pushed back opposition fighters attempting to advance to the strategic central city of Hama, while opposition forces say they captured more Syrian troops and Iran-backed fighters in fierce battles. Forces opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have staged their biggest advance in years over the past week, capturing large parts of the northern city of Aleppo, the country’s largest, as well...